Pants protective covering



July 15, 1958 xvAPAmV v L. GLADSTONE PANTS PROTECTIVE COVERING Filed April 1s, 1957 INVENToR. LEONARD GLADSTONE BY ATTOMY United States Patent O PANTS PROTECTIVE COVERING LeonardGladstone, New York, N. Y. Application April 16, 1957,;Serial No. 653,177

4 Claims. `(Cl. 223-98) `This invention concerns an improvement in protectors for vp.ants,trousers, slacks or the like.

Garments .of the type described are usually `folded midway and supported on `a hanger having a transversely disposedbar or rod. In such 'garment supports the garment oftenbecomes 4creased and wrinkled along the line where it is suspended at :the hanger bar. .In addition, the garment becomes soiled and ldiscolored 'as dust and dirt accumulateand light :falls upon the garment, particularly at Vthe midsection which lies on the hanger bar. When these `types vof garments are on display in stores and retailestablishments they are frequently handled by customers sothat they become soiled and shopworn.

The present invention yis directed at overcoming orminimizing `the above difculties and in addition to providing a means for protecting'the garments, 'the invention serves to retainthe garments on the'hangers more securely. The invention also provides means for carrying price, style and information pertinent to the garment as well `as means Vfor carrying an advertising message.

According-tothe invention a transparent plastic tubing or sleeve is provided. Thetubing is shaped to conform to the general `shape of trousers or slacks. Suitable clips are provided :to `retainthe tubing on the garment and to retain the garmentvon the hanger.

`It is `therefore a `principal object of the invention to provide a garment protector in the form of a band, sleeve or tubing of transparent material.

It is a further object to provide a protector of the character described with clip meansfor'retaining the device on a trousered garmentuandjfor retaining the `.garment on a hanger bar.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will `be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig; l is an elevational View of a garment protector embodying the invention, with the device tilted forwardly to show its structure more clearly.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the band mounted on a garment and carried on a hanger.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on lines 3 3 of Fig. 2 and showing details of construction on a large scale.

Fig. 3A is a view similar to Fig. 3 on a further enlarged scale showing another form of the invention.

Figs. 4 and 5 are elevational views of still further forms of the invention.

Fig. 5A is an elevational view of the band shown in Fig. 5 with the band folded along its midline.

Fig. 5B is a sectional view taken on lines SB-SB of Fig. 5A. p

Fig. 5C is a view similar to Fig. 5A showing a modified form of surface treatment.

Fig. `6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on lines 6--16 of Fig. 5.

Figs. 7 and 8 are Ycross-sectional views taken onlines 7-7 ,and 8.8,;respectively, of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of a garment with a garment protectoraccording to the invention of Figs. 7 and 8 supported thereon.

Fig. lO is a sectional viewtaken on lines 1010of Fig. 9.

The protector basically has the form shown in Fig. 1. An endless band 20 of .tubing is provided. The band has a tapered formwith a widerend 21 and a narrower end 22. The band is made of transparent plastic material such as polyethylene, a vinyl polymer, cellulose acetate, etc. Thelm of which the band 20 is made should be tough and have a suitably heavy gauge or thickness to withstand considerable handling .and wear. Preferably, `the material `should be thermoplastic so that if it is made from at sheets it may be heat-sealed by conventional high frequency dielectric heating or other heat-sealing techniques.

The tapered form of the band 20 is intended to conform the band to the generally tapered shape of trousers, pants, or slacks P, such as shown in Fig. 2.. In Fig. 2, band 20 .is shown disposed at the midsectibn of a garment P and is folded over the bar 24 of a hanger 25 at the midline L of the band 20. The band is so shaped that the garment is snugly and smoothly retained within the band Z0, and is smoothly draped over bar 24 as shown in Fig. 3. i

In Fig. 4, the band 20 is shown provided with indicia 28 denoting the style, price, -and size of the garment. Squares A27 are provided for marking the desired numerals or lettering on the band. If desired, these squares maybe roughened portions so that the band can be more readily marked by a suitable marking crayon, rubber stamp, etc. An advertising message such as indicia 29 may also be provided on the band so that when the band is disposed on a garment, the advertisement will be in the view of the customer. i

'In Figs. 3A, 5-8 the band 20 is shown provided with a pairof clips 30 at or near its wider end 21. These clips are lil-shaped members `integrally joined by a line 35 heatfsealed 'or `the likeat `the bight 34 of the clip as shown in Fig. 7. The arms 4310i? each clip are not attached to the outer wall of the band,'so that when the band is folded along ,its midline L as shown .in Fig. 5A, the lower or nar` rower portion `of the band is engaged under one arm 31 of :each clip. The clips 30 are `formed of thermoplastic material of the same or different material as that of the band 20. The clips should be formed of considerably heavier gauge or thicker material than that of the band 20. The arms of the clips should have some flexibility so that they can be inserted over the garment and they should have an inward spring bias as indicated by arrows 36 when the band is folded and the arms of the clip engage the lower portion thereof.

The free ends of the clips are so spaced that when the band 20 is mounted on a pair of trousers or other garment P as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 the band will not slip olf because the arms 31 are then inwardly biased suciently to grip the sides of the garment. When the garment P is mounted on a hanger 25, as shown in Fig. 3A, the arms 31 of each clip grip the sides of the garment depending from bar 24 and prevent the garment from slipping olf the hanger bar. They also prevent the garment from slipping out of the band 20.

If desired, one side of the band 20 can be embossed as shown in Figs. 5A, 5B and 6, with rounded dimples, projections or corrugations 37 to increase the frictional hold of the band on the hanger bar and also to increase the frictional hold of the band on the garment. These corrugations may be arranged to project only outwardly as shown in Fig. 5B, or both inwardly and outwardly as shown at 37 in Fig. 5C. Of course the entire body of the band can be embossed but itis preferable that only one side S be embossed and the other side S left clear andismooth so that an unobstructed view is had of the texture and condition of the garment Awithin the protective band.

,When the band is in use on a garment supported on a hanger, wrinkling and creasing at the midsection of the garment is prevented or reduced to a minimum extent. The garment can be taken off and replaced on the hanger without becoming soiled by the hands of the customer or salesman. When the garment is on the hanger and is being held for display or sale, dirt and dust which normally collects on the upper folded midsection of the garment falls on the protector instead where it can readily be removed. If desired, the plastic band may be formed ofv a tinted transparent material. The colored material may have a red tint and will serve to lter out ultraviolet rays present in daylight, as well as in incandescent and tluorescent light emitted by lighting xtures. This use of the protector will prevent discoloration and fading of the garment caused by the ultraviolet rays.

The band is so constructed that it can easily be slipped oi the garment so that a customer can try on the garment when desired. If the band with clips is used, the ilexible arms 31 can easily be separated with the iingers to release the band from the garment. The tapered shape of the band facilitates removal of the band as it is moved toward the narrow end of the garment. While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as I new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A garment protector, comprising an endless band of transparent thermoplastic material, said band having a tapered shape, tapering in the direction of its length, and a pair of U-shaped clips disposed transversely on the band, said clips being formed of resilient thermoplastic material having a greater thickness than that of said band, each of the clips being secured near the wider endof the band by heat-sealing of the bights of the clips to the band so that the outer ends of the arms of the clips are free from the band, said ends being normally so spaced that when the band is disposed on the midsection of a trousered garment, the arms are biased inwardly to hold the band on the garment.

2. A garment protector, comprising an endless band of transparent thermoplastic material, said band having a tapered shape, tapering in the direction of its length, and a pair of U-shaped clips disposed transversely on the band, said clips being formed of resilient thermoplastic material having a greater thickness than that of said band, each of the clips being secured near the wider end of the band by heat-sealing of the bights of the clips to the band so that the outerends of the arms of the clips are free from the band, said ends being normally so spaced that when the band is disposed on the midsection of a trousered garment, the arms are biased inwardly to hold the band on the garment, one side of the band having outwardly extending projections thereon to increase the frictional hold of the band on a garment hanger bar.

3. A garment protector, comprising an endless band of transparent thermoplastic material, said band having a tapered shape, tapering in the direction of its length, and a pair of U-shaped clips disposedtransversely on the band, said clips being formed of resilient thermoplastic material having a greater thickness than that of said band, each of the clips being secured near the wider end of the band by heat-sealing of the bights of the clips to the band so that the outer ends of the arms of the clips are free from the band, said ends being normally so spaced that when the band is disposed on the midsection of a trousered garment, the arms are biased inwardly to hold the band on the garment and to hold the band and garment on a hanger bar, at least one side of Vthe band having projections extending both inwardly and outwardly therefrom to increase the frictional hold of the band on the garment and the frictional hold of the band on the garment bar.

4. A trousered garment protector, comprising an endless band of transparent thermoplastic material, said band tapering in the direction of its length, said band having a pair of U-shaped clips disposed transversely on the band, said clips being formed of resilient thermoplastic material having a greater thickness than that of said band, each of the clips being secured near the wider end of the band by heat-sealing of the bights of the clips to the band so that the outer ends of the arms of the clips are free from the band, said ends being normally so spaced that when the band is disposed on the midsection of said trousered garment, the arms are biased inwardly to hold the band on vthe garment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Pence l Sept. 5, 1950 

